Cursive Play 5 New Songs at Tour Opener

Cursive launched their U.S. tour Wednesday night at Minneapolis' Triple Rock Social Club, returning to the stage for the first time in seven months. Along with classic tunes, the Omaha band debuted five new songs off their upcoming album, Mama, I'm Swollen, which they recently completed with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, the Faint, Rilo Kiley) for release this spring.

"Donkeys," another new cut, began with quiet quitar riffs that slowly built into a wall of sound. Kasher fired off lyrics about an addict's failure to grow up and take care of his young family: "Isn't it time to act your age / You got a mortgage on your shoulder and a baby on the way / Shrug it off with a jack-ass grin / Once you clean up you'll do it again."

Over the 17-song set, the group played plenty of classics, too, including "Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand," a wild art-rock tune off 2003's The Ugly Organ.

"If at first you don't succeed / You gotta recreate your misery / 'Cause we all know art is hard," Kasher later sang on "Art is Hard," a rocking number off 2003's The Ugly Organ featuring trumpet, head-banging drums, and Kasher's throat-ripping screams.

Art may be difficult, but Cursive's fans at Triple Rock seemed thankful that Kasher keeps the misery coming album after album.